[WRC] News & Rumours 2019

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Originally Posted by Rally Power

Spot on. Gr.R cars are all developed by the manus or their official tuners. We know there’s usually a limited number of manus involved in rally and most of them are mainly interested on overall wins. That’s why we have almost the same number of WRC and R5 models homologated than all R1, R2 and R3 cars combined. Besides, manus built rally cars are always expensive, which makes even harder for privateers to get in.

The only way to open the sport to a wider range of brands and models is to have private tuners back, through a more liberal regulation for national and international use, just like it was done with AP4 in the FIA Asia Pacific series or Maxi Rally on FIA Codasur.

Probably that was R4 global aim, but having a single supplier for the class was a terrible idea. The FIA can still make R4 work if they end Oreca’s monopoly and allow each nation major tuners to locally build similar cars under a common R4 regulation; the same could be easily done for a new 2WD class and both would be complementary to current R5 and WRC top categories.

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All they need to do is make an open group n class like it exists in so many countries. Just write a book with things that can change and things that have to remain stock. No need for tuners or official stuff, everyone can use whatever car they want as long as it complies with those rules.

Standard bodywork, either standard gearbox housing or simple basic sequential gearbox, standard suspension mounting points and wishbones, standard fuel tank, standard dashboard, no performance changing parts in the engine bay, no kevlar, titanium or other expensive materials.

Basically what group n was intended to be, but without the need for homologation by the manufacturer.

drivers about their future https://rallysportmag.com/wrc-driver...-nears-190818/

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Originally Posted by EstWRC

drivers about their future https://rallysportmag.com/wrc-driver...-nears-190818/

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Latvala sounds like he is so sure about changes cause he knows he is leaving.

Ogier sounds like ready to go to Citroen. Specially after Finland and now seeing Østberg of all people being able to beat him on open flat stage. I really do hope he is not going to Toyota instead of JML.

Agreed about latvala. The only movings he can know about is about his teammates and about himself. So it must be him or lappi moving.

I’m not sure about ogier to Citroen. Gerard Quinn sounded very confident yesterday on alllive that ogier is continuing in M-Sport

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Originally Posted by EstWRC

Agreed about latvala. The only movings he can know about is about his teammates and about himself. So it must be him or lappi moving.

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The Absolute Rally podcast says that the Toyota people in Japan like Latvala very much. I believe he gets to say. While there has been now talk about Latvala's confirmed contract for next year, Lappi was quoted saying in one of the articles "I know nothing about my future"

If Toyota are going to replace Lappi, then it must be Suninen perhaps. Almost equal in experience and age, after Germany though perhaps Sunine's credit got little higher, he seem capable in asphalt rallies too.

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Originally Posted by AnttiL

The Absolute Rally podcast says that the Toyota people in Japan like Latvala very much. I believe he gets to say. While there has been now talk about Latvala's confirmed contract for next year, Lappi was quoted saying in one of the articles "I know nothing about my future"

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Losing Lappi would be a huge loss to Toyota, no matter who they replace him with l. I love both him and Suninen, and it'd be as great to see Suninen in a rally winning car as it would be to see Lappi in a midfield team, but I'd rate Lappi slightly higher. They're both very similar but I fear Suninen is slightly more critical of himself, and slightly more fragile as a result.

Latvala in 2017 had a team and a car made for him. Nowadays, no matter how close he is to Lappi or Mäkinen, something is clearly not working. I suppose the coziness he had his first year might be starting to wear off, and though it sounds good on paper to stay with the Finnish home team, I do wonder how he'd fare at Citroen, for instance, starting from scratch, as first driver, having a sideways wingman like Ostberg to prop him up. It sounds like a recipe for diaster to have Latvala go to Citroen and their cutthroat goals and expectations, but it's no longer as far fetched as I imagined.

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Originally Posted by AnttiL

Lappi was quoted saying in one of the articles "I know nothing about my future"

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Lappi also gave an interview to Estonian media, Postimees, before Rally Germany saying he'll be in the start line for sure. And sure seems he'll be staying in Toyota.

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What will happen to your future?
I'll definitely be in the start line next season.
But in which team?
You'll know soon enough. I have no reason to leave Toyota - car is able to win, we are constantly developing it. Even the team itself is perfect, so I see no reason why I should leave.

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Full translated article. With that being said, when remembering Ott's responses to Autosport, I don't know what to think.

Lappi has also said elsewhere that "I have no reason to leave". To me it sounds like he is leaving although he wouldn't want to leave...

EDIT: here https://rallysportmag.com/wrc-driver...-nears-190818/

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I feel good here at Toyota. If I can continue here, yes, I would like to stay. The car is capable to win, it’s nice feeling inside of the team.

When you get to know everyone, you know how everything works, so why to leave, I don’t see any reason for that.

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very weird and confusing answers like always from them...we just have to wait for the confirmations or stronger rumours.